


Family Wounds Us the Deepest

by Bubbles759



Category: Being Human (UK), The Almighty Johnsons
Genre: Anal Sex, Anders angst, BAMF Mitchell, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Oral Sex, Physical Abuse, Protective Mitchell, Sexual Content, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-18
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-05-07 12:30:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5456603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bubbles759/pseuds/Bubbles759
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anders slept with Gaia. Weeks ago. He thought it was dealt with. He apologised (unnecessarily in his opinion), Axl had almost killed him, Gaia had left the country, his brothers had gone back to using him for Bragi whenever they needed him. Life had gone on as usual. </p><p>But is it as over as they think?</p><p>Or is it just buried?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Deeply Buried

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys. This is my first attempt at Britchell. Written in a very short period of time, so I hope it does actally low as well as it did in my head when I got the idea. 
> 
> Unbeated so any and all mistakes are mine.

“Put the knife down.” Anders hated the tremble in his voice but he couldn’t stop it. Axl was big enough to hurt him, and had done so before, even without the butchers knife he held in his hands. Anders made a mental note that, if he got out of this alive, he would move his knives somewhere his brothers wouldn’t find them.

He had come home from work to find Axl already there, pacing in front of his sofa, knife in hand.

“Axl, please man, put the knife down. Whatever it is, we can talk about it, sort it out.” Anders took a couple of steps backwards, hands raised, as Axl brandished the knife, slashing at his older brother.

“How could you? How could you do it? Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You ruined my life!” Axl yelled as he stepped even closer to Anders, backing him into the kitchen bench, knife still being waved around menacingly.

Anders wracked his brain for anything he could have conceivably done recently that would have set off his volatile little brother. Or the God inside.

Coming up blank, Anders raised his eyes from the knife to his little brother. “Axl, I don’t-”

“You slept with Gaia!” Anders grimaced at the statement, and flinched as the knife nicked his left cheek, the blood welling up in a thin line. Axl never noticed as he continued his tirade.

“You just don’t care about anyone do you? You do what you want, when you want, and fuck everyone else. You don’t even _think_ about anyone else!”

Now Anders was getting pissed. He thought they’d sorted this out weeks ago, when Axl almost killed him, and _he_ was the one made to apologise.”Hang on a minute. I’m not the one who expects everyone else to say how high when I say jump! Every time one you you idiots call, I come running, regardless of what I’ve got going on, or where I am. I’ve rescheduled meetings, put off client calls, left meetings and lunches and dinners early... lost clients because of all this God shit, and it’s _still not good enough!_ You lot always expect me to come running whenever you need Bragi, and stupid me, I do it! Every. Single. Time! And it’s never good enough! Whenever you get into shit, you always expect me to bail you out! And then when something goes wrong, you blame me! ME! Never Bragi, always Anders! It’s like you don’t even see me anymore. To you lot, Anders Johnson ceased to exist when he turned 21, and Bragi took his place.”

Axl seethed, his body practically vibrating in anger as Anders pushed past him. “You’re a selfish prick! It’s always about you. Always you, never anyone else. Did you think about anything other than your dick when you seduced Gaia to your bed?”

Anders swung around in anger, blue eyes bright with fury. Weeks later and Axl _still_ wouldn’t let it go, and Anders had had enough. Gaia wasn’t as innocent as she made out, and he wasn’t to blame as everyone assumed. “She came _to ME_ you fucking prick,” he hissed voice low. “Gaia left your place, came here, and knocked on _my_ door. I didn’t chase her; I didn’t even _speak_ to her!”

“Bullshit,” Axl spat, stepping back towards Anders, “you probably sent her some booty call text. She wouldn’t have come on her own.”

“Idunn would! And I don’t even have her fucking number!”

Axl didn’t care. Somewhere underneath all the hurt, and jealousy, and anger he knew it wasn’t Anders fault. But it was hard to hold onto reason in the face of all the volatile emotions rolling around and through him.

He grabbed Anders by the collar of his shirt, hauling him in close. He forgot about the knife now clenched in his left hand.

Forgot, that was, until he heard the punched out sound Anders made as his eyes widened and he felt the hot rush of blood over his hand. He let both Anders and the knife go, stepping back in horror as a feral snarl ripped through the now silent apartment. Neither he nor Anders had heard the door open as Mitchell arrived home.

********

Mitchell had just opened the door, hadn’t even had time to call out a greeting, when the smell of blood hit him like a punch to the face. And not just any blood. God blood. Anders’ blood. Mitchell let his gaze roam around the room, landing on Axl stepping back from Anders, a knife embedded in his stomach, and he snarled instinctively at the thought that someone had harmed his boyfriend.

Moving with superhuman speed, Mitchell made it to Anders before he hit the floor, and cradled him gently.

“Mi... Mitch?” Anders stuttered out, his face pale and blue eyes wide and glassy as he started to go into shock.

“Shh,” he soothed as he ran a hand through thick blonde hair. “You’re going to be ok.” He winced internally at the large butcher’s knife protruding from the right side of Anders abdomen, just below his ribcage. He turned inky black eyes on the youngest Johnson, who had turned a sickly white. “Call Michele!”

Axl blinked. “Shouldn’t we call an ambulance? It was an accident.”

“Do you want to explain this? This isn’t a fucking accident Axl, it’s a goddamn butchers knife! This is the kind of thing the hospital staff have to notify the police about, even if the patient won’t talk to them.”

Axl shook his head in denial as he pulled his phone from his pocket.

Mitchell glared at him even harder, if that was possible. Call Michele. And your brothers.” When Axl didn’t move, Mitchell let his fangs descend and growled deeply. “NOW!”

Satisfied Axl was doing as he asked he turned back to his lover, lying prone in his arms. Anders had started to shake, and Mitchell tried not to grimace at the amount of blood soaking his shirt.

“Mitch... Mitchell...”

“Shh,” he soothed, blinking his eyes back to their warm brown, and letting his fangs recede. He could vaguely hear Axl on the phone but all his attention was on the dying man in his arms.

“Don’t... don’t want... to die... John,” Anders stuttered our, his voice shaky.

“You’re not going to die, Anders. Promise.” Mitchell placed a kiss on Anders’ sweaty brow, trying to ignore the tremors wracking Anders body.

“T... turn...me?”

Mitchell reared back in surprise. “What? Anders?”

“I don’t... want to... die John.” Anders coughed harshly, blood splattering his pale lips.

“If I turn you, you’ll die anyway.” Mitchell couldn’t wrap his head around what Anders had asked. He had never even mentioned it before. Mitchell had said he’d never turn another person when telling Anders of his past, and Anders had never even hinted. He’d respected Mitchell’s choice.

“Be... with... you.” Anders breathing was laboured.

Mitchell could still hear Axl on the phone, see him pacing in his peripheral vision. “How long?” he ground out, never taking his eyes off the man he loved.

“They’re on their way,” Axl said, keeping his distance from the agitated vampire.

“John...” Anders voice was barely a whisper. His shirt was soaked with blood, as was Mitchell’s hand and the leg of his jeans. Anders was slipping away from him. His voice was softer, his heartbeat slower. Mitchell made a decision.

“I won’t let you die. I promise.” He rested his forehead against Anders’, his eyes never leaving the cloudy blue gaze.

“Love... you... Don’t say... it... enough...but... I do... so much.”

“I love you too babe. I promise, whatever happens, I won’t let you die.”

“Good,” Anders breathed, his eyes sliding closed, but Mitchell could see him fighting unconsciousness. “Bought... plane tickets... next month... Ireland...” Mitchell’s eyes widened with surprise. “Gonna... take you... home... Bout time... you... went back.”

“Not without you, ok?” Mitchell drew his blonde lover closer, careful of the knife. “I’m not going back without you. My home is with you. Not a specific country.”

“K,” Anders managed to say before the pull of unconsciousness was too great and he went limp in Mitchell’s arms.

********

What felt like an eternity, but was really less than a minute later, the 2 remaining Johnson brothers and grandfather, along with Michele, Ingrid and Stacey, barrelled through the still open door. Ingrid let out a gasp as they all stopped and stared at the scene. All except Michele, who pushed past them to drop at Anders’ side. She ignored Mitchell hissing at her, and examined the knife, and the wound. She glanced at Mitchell while pulling Yggdrasil from the bag she carried it in.

“We need to be quick or we’re gonna lose him. I need you to pull the knife out and I’ll do my magic.”

Mitchell nodded, but stopped her before her hands made contact with Anders. “Wait.”

“Wait? Despite my feelings toward the midget here, this needs to be done sooner rather than later.”

Mitchell hissed at her again for the jab at Anders, it was no secret they didn’t get on, fangs out and eyes black. Then he raised his arm and bit into the thin skin on the inside of his wrist and pressed it to Anders’ slack lips, letting the blood drip into his mouth and down his throat.

“Mitch? What are you doing?” Ty asked cautiously. Mitchell was already on edge and didn’t need to be agitated any further.

“I made a promise.” Satisfied, Mitchell pulled his arm from Anders, licking over the wound on his wrist and sealing it. He firmly grabbed the handle of the knife and nodded at Michele.

Michele let go of Yggdrasil and placed her hands either side of the knife. “One... two... three!”

********

Mike watched with fearful eyes as Mitchell yanked the knife out of Anders’, dropping it to the floor. His fear became horror, and denial as nothing changed under Michele’s hands.

“No, no, no. Come on Andy. Don’t do this, please,” he said under his breath, unaware of Mitchell saying similar things.

Finally, _finally_ , Michele’s hands emitted a soft, warm glow, and Anders’ abdomen knitted itself together, blood ceasing to flow from the wound, and the skin looking like nothing had ever happened. Anders took a deep breath, but he didn’t move, or even open his eyes. All 3 Johnson brothers, and Olaf, stepped forward as one but had barely moved when a low, rolling growl from Mitchell had them stopping.

When Mitchell’s attention moved back to Anders, Mike stepped forward again, prompting Mitchell to haul Anders into his arms, gently, before standing and carrying the blonde God to the bedroom.

The gods and goddesses looked at the closed bedroom door before Mike turned to his youngest brother.

“What the _fuck_ happened here?”

********

Mitchell bypassed the bed and moved to the bathroom. He carefully lowered Anders to the tiled floor, and started removing his shoes and socks.

“Anders?” he asked quietly. “Come back to me Love. Wake up.” Anders groaned and shifted his head slightly. “That’s it. Come back.” Finally Anders eyelids fluttered before he slowly blinked his eyes open.

“John?”

Mitchell sighed in relief and couldn’t help the smile that overtook his face. “Hi. You’re ok. Let’s get you into the shower and cleaned up. Then some food and bed.” He carefully removed Anders ruined dress shirt, Anders still too disorientated to help which, considering the amount of blood he lost was understandable, then started on his dress  pants and underwear.

“What?” Anders blinked confused eyes at Mitchell, then looked down at himself as Mitchell gently helped him up. “Oh. Right.” He grimaced at the blood still on his skin.

Mitchell left him leaning against the wall as he started the water and got the temperature right.

“Axl?” Anders questioned as Mitchell eased him into the warm water of the shower after stripping himself of his clothes, following Anders into the stall. He pressed himself against Anders, holding him gently against the tiles as he adjusted the water temperature again. Finally satisfied, he manoeuvred Anders under the water, worried at how pliant Anders was being. But, again, severe blood loss would do that to a person. The water turned red as it pooled at their feet before swirling down the drain, washing away the blood still caked into Anders skin.

“Everyone’s still outside,” Mitchell eventually answered as he picked up the shower gel and dumped some of it into his hand. He gently soaped up Anders arms, shoulders, chest and belly, still careful despite the fully healed skin where only minutes before there had been a large knife. “I’ll talk to them after I’ve gotten you to bed.”

Anders closed his eyes and rested his head against Mitchell’s shoulder as John started to wash his hair. He let out a soft purring sound as long fingers carded through his hair, scratching lightly at his scalp. “Don’t eat them.”

Mitchell laughed humourlessly.  “No promises.” At the exhausted slump of his lover’s shoulders, and the way he could barely keep his eyes open, Mitchell deemed him clean and gently guided him out of the shower. He wrapped a baby blue, fluffy bath towel around Anders before tying a dark green one around his own waist, then led Anders into the bedroom. After towelling him off, getting him dressed in clean underwear, sweat pants and one of Mitchell’s old, faded rock t-shirts, he tucked Anders into bed with a promise to return as fast as possible with orange juice and chocolate. Anders mumbles a sleepy affirmative, noise before Mitchell slipped from the bedroom, closing the door softly behind himself.

He ignored everyone as he made his way to the kitchen, finding the OJ and the chocolate where they always were. They keep a lot on hand for when Mitchell fed from Anders, to get his blood sugar back up. He could hear Mike angrily hissing at Axl as he walked past them again, but paid them no attention. He’d deal with them soon.

********

Back in the bedroom he deposited the items on the bedside table, and helped Anders into a sitting position. Then he helped Anders hold the glass as he gulped down the orange juice. “Easy babe. I don’t need you choking.” Finally coming up for air after the glass had been drained, Anders opened his mouth, waiting to be fed the pieces of chocolate. Mitchell only managed to get him to eat 4 small pieces before Anders was out again. He gently moved him to a more comfortable position, pulled the blankets up over his shoulders, kissed his forehead, and left the bedroom.

He steeled himself as he closed the door behind him. He couldn’t murder Axl, although he’d like too. Anders wouldn’t like that. He let that thought keep him under control as his eyes bled to black and his fangs descended again as rage flowed through him.


	2. Confrontations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mitchell has it out with the Johnson's. And what's happening with Anders?

Mike watched with trepidation as Mitchell walked back through the bedroom door, this time fully dressed and with his feet bare. The _click_ as the door closed softly behind him felt ominous in the oppressive silence of the apartment. The gathered gods and goddesses shifted nervously as the vampire slowly moved to stand in front of them on silent feet. He looked up with black eyes, his slightly parted mouth showing gleaming white fangs.

Mike shifted to stand in front of Axl as Mitchell’s gaze moved to the youngest Johnson. The cause of the whole situation. Mike hadn’t gotten the full story out of Axl, only stuttered versions of ‘ _it’s not my fault,’ ‘I couldn’t control Odin,’ ‘he just made me so mad.’_ But Mike knew that now he’d get the truth. He was just afraid of how it might come out.

“What did you think you were doing?” Mitchell’s voice was soft and low, the calm tone belying the waves of fury rolling through him.

Mike could feel Axl tremble in fear behind him. Axl may house the most powerful god in the Norse pantheon, but he was still only a 23 year old kid. He didn’t answer and Mitchell growled, causing the young god to step back instinctively.

“Mitchell, calm down. It was an accident. He didn’t mean it,” Mike said when it was clear Axl wouldn’t answer.

“An accident?” Mitchell’s smile was cold, his black eyes flat and reflective. “Like it was an accident when he threw him into the wood pile and cut his throat, almost making him bleed to death? That seems to be a favourite way to kill him with you.” Mitchell took a step forward, Axl and Mike moving a step back as the goddesses moved into the kitchen. “Like it would be an accident if I snapped his scrawny neck?” Ty and Olaf moved to stand next to Mike, protectively in front of Axl.

“You wouldn’t,” Olaf said, but without much conviction. “He’s Odin. If he dies so does everyone else.”

The temperature dropped a few degrees, Ty’s powers manifesting out of fear. “If you kill him, Anders dies as well. Along with a shitload of people in Auckland.”

“Not if he’s already dead.” A flash of black was all they saw before Axl was gasping, Mitchell at his back, a strong hand wrapped around his throat. “How many times are you going to try and kill him hmm?”

Mike’s stomach clenched in fear at the sight. He knew that if Mitchell really wanted to kill Axl, there was nothing any of them could do about it. Nobody but Anders that was, and he really didn’t think Anders was feeling overly generous about his youngest brother right now.

“Mitchell, let him go. You can’t kill him.”

“Why not?” Mitchell rested his nose in the crook of Axl’s neck, ignoring the pungent smell of fear. Usually it fed a vampire’s blood lust, this time it only sickened him. “I don’t care about your family. I don’t care for the rest of Auckland. I don’t even care for the rest of New Zealand. I would burn the entire world to the ground for him. I can change anyone, anytime, and then it wouldn’t matter if I snapped Axl’s little neck right here.” He tightened his hand for a minute, enjoying the way Axl’s eyes went wide and panicked, before he stepped away, shoving Axl at Mike.

********

Mitchell paced in front of the Johnsons, ignoring the whispering of the goddesses in the kitchen. His blood was raging. His vampiric instincts telling him to protect what was his, and that they only way he could keep Anders safe from his brothers was to kill them. He itched to drain Axl dry, to make sure he’d never hurt Anders again, but he couldn’t be sure that Yggdrasil hadn’t negated the vampire blood in Anders’ system. So, he paced and he growled and he hissed at them, all the time muttering to himself as he gained control over his baser vampire instincts.

Finally calm, or calm _er_ , he turned to the assembled gods and goddesses.

“What happened?”

Axl audibly swallowed. “I was pissed off at Anders.”

“Why?”

“I asked him to do something for me and he said no.”

“So you came here?” Mitchell started pacing again.

“I just wanted to know why! He always says no now. Every since _you_ came into the picture. I just wanted him to do something for me and he said no, so I came to find out why!”

“What did you want him to do?” Mike turned to his younger brother. It must not have had anything to do with God business, because Axl hadn’t said anything to him, so it much have been personal.

Axl sighed, and crossed his arms petulantly. “Zeb and I got into some shit last night and I wanted him to get us out of it. He just had to go down to the station and get the police to lose the file. And forget they ever saw us, but he said no. Said he was busy with work.” Axl snorted in disbelief. “Like he ever does any work.”

Mitchell had moved before anyone had done more than stare incredulously at the youngest Johnson. “You fucking PRICK!” His hands fisted in Axl’s shirt. “What they bloody hell is wrong with you?! He’s not your fucking servant. If he said no, he bloody well meant it. What are you going to do if you find the Frigg? No more gods, and no more Bragi to bail you out when you do stupid shit like get arrested!” He shook Axl a couple of times, his head shaking like a rag dolls. “You make me sick.” He let go of him and started pacing again. He stopped to glare at the Johnsons, and the goddesses who had tentatively moved out from behind the safety of the kitchen bench. “You _all_ make me _sick._ The way you treat him, demand insane shit of him, then toss him away like he’s garbage? You’re all pathetic. And you!” he whirled onto Axl again. “You’re a fucking hypocrite. You blame everything on your god, but nothing on Bragi!”

Ty dropped his head in regret. Mitchell was right. They treated Anders like he was replaceable. They used him, and then threw him away until he was needed again, only to toss him aside when he was no longer useful. They may not have run Anders through with a knife, but they were all as guilty as Axl.

“We’re sorry Mitch,” Ty tried to say but he was cut off.

“I’ll get to the rest of you later. I’m not done with Axl.” He turned furious eyes back on the tallest god. “So, you were pissed at him, big surprise. How did he end up with a fucking butcher’s knife in his belly?”

“It was an argument. I said some stuff about him sleeping with Gaia,” he ignored the groans coming from his brothers and grandfather, and the hiss from the vampire and barrelled on, unaware of how much closer to the edge he was pushing Mitchell. “He said some shit back, I hauled him in to hit him, but I forgot I had the knife. I didn’t mean to stab him, I promise.”

Mike turned towards his brother, eyes wide. “Why the _fuck_ did you have the knife in the first place?”

Axl shrugged his shoulders, embarrassed. “I was going to make a sandwich.”

Mike rolled his eyes at his brother’s stupidity, missing the way Mitchell’s frame froze. Suddenly Axl was on the ground a scream ripping through the apartment. Axl was on the floor, Mitchell’s fangs buried in his throat.

“Axl!” Mike screamed as he tried to pull the pissed off vampire from his brother. But like a dog with a bone, the more they tried to pull him off, the harder he bit, Axl’s blood coating his chin.

**_“John, stop.”_ **

A bell like voice rang out through the room, and they all turned to see Anders standing behind him, his eyes blazing an electric blue, a golden aura around him. **_“You can’t kill him.”_**

Amazingly Mitchell pulled back, his fangs receding, his eyes returning to their natural brown, pushing himself off the petrified god. He ripped his shirt off, using the fabric to wipe his mouth as Mike, Ty, and Olaf pushed him away, and Michele dropped to her knees to heal the second Johnson of the day.

Mitchell turned to his lover. “Anders?”

Anders turned to face his vampire. He smiled, his eyes fading back to his normal blue, the aura fading from around him. “Wow,” he said before his eyes rolled back and he dropped like a stone. Mitchell too surprise to even move before Anders hit the floor.

********

Anders woke with a fuzzy memory, a queasy stomach, and a headache that rivalled the most epic hangover, and Bragi induced migraine he’d ever had put together. The room lurched sickeningly as he tried to turn his head to the side. He breathed in slowly through his nose until the room righted itself, and he blinked a few times getting his vision clear. He was in bed, in his room, that was clear. His bedside table held a glass of water and a bottle of grape Gatorade, along with a bag of salted potato chips, a small block of chocolate and a packet of aspirin.

Carefully he turned his head the other way, disappointed when he didn’t see his vampire. “John?” he tried to call out, his voice rough and making him cough harshly. His throat felt like he’d been gargling gravel and he’d been swallowing razor blades. And his head felt like someone was continually ringing a giant bell.

He opened his eyes when he heard the door to the bathroom open, Mitchell stepping through his, a towel around his waist, his hair still dripping and his ski damp. Mitchell’s eyes lit up when he saw Anders awake and he rushed over to the side of the bed, dropping to his knees, a hand gently carding through messy blonde hair.

“Hey,” he said softly. “How are you feeling?”

“Like someone used me for target practice or something.”

Mitchell smiled softly. “I’m not surprised. Michele said you have to stay in bed for a couple of days, get your blood and fluids back up.”

It proved how shitty Anders was feeling when there was no snarky comment filled with sexual innuendo, or even a flirty wink thrown in his direction.

“I take it I’m not dead then,” the god said, rolling onto his back. Mitchell stood, wiping himself over quickly and pulling on a pair of boxers. “Wonder if it would feel better than this though.”

“No, not dead. But it was a close thing. I did feed you some of my blood though, so be careful for the next few days. I don’t know how long it will take to leave your system, and I quite like you being alive.”

Anders hummed idly and raised a hand, stopping when he actually caught sight of it. “John?”

Mitchell crawled up the bed to lie beside his boyfriend. “Yeah?”

“Why am I glowing?”

Mitchell buried his head in Anders neck, kissing the skin there. “There have been a few developments while you’ve been out of it.”

“You think?”


	3. God vs God

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Axl pushes Anders too far.

“Bragi.” It wasn’t a question. Anders had moved so he was sitting up, his back against the headboard, arms crossed over his chest.

Mitchell was sitting on the side of the bed, next to Anders’ hip. He ran a hand through his unruly curls, wincing when his fingers caught in a tangle.

“That’s what we think anyway.” He and Anders family had discussed what they thought had happened while the blonde had been out cold, and after the goddesses had left. He looked intently at Anders. He was still pale but no longer screamed ‘dying’ to Mitchell, and he was sitting up and talking. All good things to help Mitchell’s nerves. “How much of all of this do you actually remember?”

Anders shook his head, grimacing as it exacerbated his headache and sent the room spinning. “Ouch,” he said as he held his head in his hands and took a few deep breaths to quell the rising nausea. “Honestly..? Not much. I remember coming home and finding Axl already here, but not a lot after that. I remember pain, and you, and maybe a shower.” His eyes suddenly widened. “Shit!”

Mitchell looked worried. “What’s wrong?”

“I told you.”

Now Mitchell was just confused. “You asked me to turn you.”

Anders cut him off with a dramatic moan and threw his arm over his eyes. “I did that too?! I blame blood loss. But that’s not what I was talking about.” He peeked out from under his arm, and at Mitchell’s expectant look he continued. “I told you about the trip.” He looked exceptionally sad.

“To Ireland?” Anders nodded miserably. “That’s ok babe. I don’t mind. In fact, it’s probably a good thing. There’s a part of me that longs to go back, so, so badly. I almost ache at the thought of it. But, there’s a larger part that’s just terrified. I know it’s going to be so different to what it was before, but a part of me is holding on to the way it was when I grew up there. It’s different with the rest of the world, I was there as it changed, but Ireland? I think of it and still remember it the way it was in the early 1900’s.”

Mitchell sighed, running a hand through his hair again until Anders reached for it, tangling their fingers together. “I refused to go back initially because I was afraid of running into someone I knew. I was officially dead. K.I.A and body unrecovered, and as much as I wanted to go back, see my Ma and dad and my brothers, I couldn’t. I couldn’t go back as the monster I was.” Anders tightened his fingers gently. “Even after everyone was gone, when I knew there was no one who would know me... I couldn’t go back. I just couldn’t do it. Everything I’ve seen , everything I’ve done, and going home terrifies me more than anything else. But with you? I can go back. I can go home with you beside me.” Mitchell leaned in to kiss his god. “This means more to me than you’ll ever know.”

Anders was about to say something when they heard the shattering of glass from the living area. Both men whipped their heads toward the sound, then back at each other.

“What the hell have they done now?” Anders asked as he pushed Mitchell back and stood on shaky legs. Then he and Mitchell, who pulled on a pair of sweats, made their way outside to the rest of his family.

********

“What the hell did you do?” Anders voice was high pitched and full of pain and he lurched forwards, towards what was left of his fish tank, Mitchell’s quick thinking being the only thing that stopped him cutting his feet on glass now lying on the floor.

Mitchell took in the devastation; the glass, and fish, and plants on the floor, the empty space in the wall, jutting pieces of glass and the occasional decoration still in the tank. He felt his eyes change as rage overtook him and he growled low in his throat. Anders’ soft whimpers and choked hiccupping breaths tearing at his long dead heart.

“Get out.” Anders voice was quiet, but carried in the silence of the apartment.

“Anders-” Mike tried to plead with his younger brother but Anders was past his breaking point.

“I said get the **_fuck out of my house!_** ” The last few words reverberated with the power of Bragi, and even Mitchell felt a little compelled by it.

Axl didn’t even look repentant. “You know Bragi doesn’t work on us.” The fish tank had been an accident, but it was also effective in getting Anders up and out of the room.

“Not completely true actually,” Olaf said gravely. He was watching Anders get wound tighter and tighter. “Bragi controls the spoken word and as such, has some control over the other Gods. Nothing as powerful as Odin, but at full power, Bragi has the ability to manipulate all other Gods.” Olaf paused. “Within reason.”

Axl grinned. “Well, I’m Odin and I rule you.” He leaned into Anders space. “And I order you to go down to the police, and sort out last night. Then help me find Frigg. Someone will fix your fish tank.”

Mitchell growled again, his grip tightening as Anders lashed out. “I’m not doing fuck for you, you little piece of fucking shit! You self-centred, hopeless, hypocritical, pathetic piece of shit!”

Axl stood to his full height and towered over Anders. “I am Odin, and you can’t control me.”

“I don’t care if you are fucking Lucifer himself! Get the hell out of my house!” Anders all but screamed, his body shaking with the force of his anger.

His brothers and grandfather looked startled, but Mike was still staring at Axl, disbelief written on his face. He knew Axl disregarded Anders, but he didn’t realise his apathy went that deep. Shattering Anders fish tank, in the middle of what was essentially a temper tantrum, was lower than Mike thought any of them would ever sink.

Mitchell lightened his grip on Anders when he stopped shaking, but didn’t let him go. Something he was grateful for when Anders collapsed again. Mitchell gently lowered Anders to the ground, cradling him against his chest. Everyone looked on in shock as Anders started to glow again, but this time, the glow took on a shape, and moved away from Anders.

Mitchell blinked a couple of times but the glowing figure was still standing in front of him, glaring at the assembled Gods and goddesses. He looked similar to Anders, but his blonde hair was longer, falling in waves to his shoulders, and he had a close cropped beard. His blue eyes blazed in anger.

 **“How dare you?”** his voice boomed, the same voice that had commanded Mitchell not to kill Axl. **“How dare you berate, and belittle, and disregard my vessel so?”**

“Bragi,” Ty breathed in awe. None of them had ever seen their Gods, although Anders had long told Ty of dreams he’d had. Dreams of a man who looked like him. A man who weaved words with a powerful voice, told stories vivid enough to conjure images, and sang songs that made the heart rejoice, and then weep. Ty thought Anders had just had an overactive imagination. Turns out he was wrong.

 **“You will all leave. You will leave this place, and leave my vessel be. Anders does not deserve all he has been put through. He has made many mistakes, done many foolish things, but not everything has been his fault. I must take some of the blame. Like Idunn.”** With this Bragi looked to Axl.

“No, _he_ did that. Him and his dick.” Axl was unrepentant. Mike rolled his eyes at his brother’s petulance. Not only had he almost killed his brother, _again_ , he had almost had his life ended by said brother’s vampire boyfriend, and was not standing toe to toe with a God. Was there no end to Axl’s stupidity?

**“No, that was me. Well, actually Idunn. She came to me, but it was us. Our vessels had no say in the matter. They had no choice.”**

Axl crossed his arms and scowled. He wasn’t about to be put in his place by a puny God. And a minor one at that. “Listen here, you, and Anders, will grow some balls and be useful. You’ll do what you’re needed to do. Understand?”

Bragi’s eyes flared a brilliant blue before he started muttering a few words in what everyone assumed to be Norse. None of them understood it. Then suddenly he shouted. **“ODIN!”**

Ty felt the world start to spin and he put a hand on the wall to steady himself. Just as soon as it started it was over, and he looked up, seeing the rest of his family in a similar state. Axl was, unsurprisingly, sprawled on the floor. He blinked, taking in the room, and the sudden 4 new additions to the room.

“Holy shit,” Mike breathed as he hauled Axl to his feet. Ty noticed Mitchell was still seated on the floor, Anders still unconscious and cradled in his arms. He was watching the proceedings warily, his gaze shifting from the Johnsons to the Gods and back.

Bragi and Odin were standing toe to toe, Bragi not backing down regardless of the size difference. They were basically yelling at each other in Norse, and it was giving everyone a headache.

“Enough,” rasped a hoarse voice and everyone, Gods and men, turned to look at Anders, who was pushing himself to a sitting position on shaky arms. “I am so over the arguing. That’s all this family has ever done, and I am sick of it.” He coughed harshly into his elbow. “I am so done with this shit. You Gods can work out your own shit or not. As for my family... get the hell out of my house, and get the fuck out of my life. I don’t want you around, and I sure as hell don’t need you.” He struggled to his feet, brushing off Mitchell’s attempts at helping. He staggered towards Odin, Bragi deftly stepping out of the way. “You keep them away from me. I am so over all this God shit. You find your Frigg on your own. Keep me out of it.” He turned to the rest of the assembled Gods who were all watching the proceedings with rapped attention. “All of you, stay the hell away from me.”

He turned his back on all of them, not complaining when Mitchell wrapped an arm around his waist and helped him from the room. They left all the Gods, and his family, standing, opened mouthed, in the living area.

********

Anders collapsed on the bed, and immediately burst into painful sounding, chest heaving sobs. His defences had been shattered and his emotions overcame him. But with only Mitchell to see, he wasn’t afraid to break. Mitchell pulled him into his arms, and rocked him gently, whispering meaningless words about fixing the fish tank, and replacing the fish, about kicking his brothers out of the apartment, and the trip to Ireland, until the blonde exhausted himself and drifted off to sleep. Gently Mitchell manoeuvred Anders until he was settled underneath the blankets and sleeping soundly. Then he left the room.

********

The Gods, and their vessels were having a heated argument, in whispers, when Mitchell reappeared. It seemed Hodr agreed with Bragi about leaving Anders alone, as did Mike and Ty. Baldr and Olaf thought he just needed some time to cool down, while, unsurprisingly, Odin and Axl demanded he and Bragi do _‘their job’_ and help find Frigg.

“Get. Out!” Mitchell hissed from behind clenched teeth, making all the Gods and men look at him.

“Look, get that pussy back out here and make him help us.” Axl glared at the vampire, seemingly forgetting that Mitchell had his fangs buried in his neck not a few hours earlier, and that, while he didn’t house his God, Mitchell had no persuasion for keeping him alive.

“The only think I’m going to do, is make you all leave.”

“You can’t make me. I’m Odin!” Axl was righteous in his fury. The situation had gotten so far out of his control, he was reverting to what he knew best. Stamping his foot, and using his superior height and strength against those who were weaker than him. Unfortunately for him, he’d forgotten that Mitchell, while shorter than him, was much stronger.

Axl was held against the wall before he’d had time to blink, looking into furious black eyes. “Not at the moment you’re not.” Mitchell grinned at the fear entering Axl’s eyes. “Now, you’ll get out of here, before I rip your throat out permanently.”

He let Axl go and took a few steps back, making sure all Gods and men were in his sight. “You will all leave, and not contact Anders, in any way, until he contacts you first. Got it?”

The men all nodded and hurried towards the door. Ty stopped in front of Mitchell. “I’m sorry Mitch.”

“Just go Ty. Tell Dawn Anders won’t be in for at least a week.” Ty nodded sadly and left the room, Hodr trailing behind him. Mike and Ulr were next, followed by Olaf and Baldr. Finally Axl and Odin walked past. Axl turned to say something to the vampire, but Odin clamped a large hand on hsi shoulder, steering him out of the apartment and into the hallway. Mitchell slammed the door shut behind them, then turned around and leaned heavily against it.

It was a few deep, calming breaths later he realised there was still one God in the apartment. He looked up to see Bragi watching him intently. “It’s good to see how much you really do care for him. I can only see from Anders perspective when we are joined, although I can usually reason other perspectives. It’s nice to see how you act about him, when he’s not there.”

Mitchell looked him up and down, taking in the fur coat, the heavy boots, the large belt wrapped around a slim waist and shook his head both the similarities and differences between the God and Anders. “You can stay,” he finally said. “Just, stay out of his way for a few days. Just until he gets his head screwed on a little better.”

Bragi nodded his head, and let Mitchell push past him and move back into the bedroom. Mitchell stripped back down to his boxers and crawled under the covers. He smiled a little as Anders  turned and snuggled into Mitchell’s chest. He wrapped an arm around Anders waist, and pressed a kiss to the blonde hair. As his eyes slipped shut he prayed to a God he’d stopped believing in decades before for this to be magically fixed in the morning.

The low sounds of Bragi singing hauntingly sad melodies from the living area ensured he knew it wouldn’t be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has spun so far from my original one shot. Hope you're all still enjoying. Although the fish tank scene was always supposed to be there.


	4. The Fallout

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a filler chapter but I had to get us to the next part.

Anders and Mitchell, and Bragi, had 3 days alone. 3 blissfully quiet days without Anders’ brothers or the other Gods. Anders spent the time in bed, either sleeping or engrossed in his laptop – doing what, Mitchell didn’t know. He was quiet and withdrawn, barely speaking to anyone except when he had to. He barely ate and at night he slept curled tightly into Mitchell, who wrapped his arms around his boyfriend and held him tight against the nightmares that plagued him. For once, Mitchell was glad he didn’t actually _need_ to sleep.

For his part, Mitchell spent the better part of the 3 days cleaning the apartment. He picked up the glass and cleaned up the mess made by the fish tank and cleaned out the space in the wall, ready for a new one to be installed. He scrubbed the floor, making sure there wasn’t a single drop of blood left. He also threw out the kitchen knives, buying a brand new set when he went out to order a new fish tank, fish and accessories for Anders. He also had new locks installed for the apartment door, and was contemplating seeing if he could get new locks for the entry door to the whole complex.

Bragi actually took Mitchell’s words to heart and left the two of them alone. He commandeered a corner of the couch, and stayed there, a sketchbook and pencils he had asked Mitchell to get for him, his only company. He sat on the couch for two full days, a pencil scratching across the paper the only noise he made. Occasionally he would hum a tune, or sing to himself, but mostly he kept silent. Something Anders was incredibly grateful for. Anders knew he would eventually have to talk to his God, and sort out this whole separation thing, but he was ok with avoiding it for as long as possible.

Finally, after 3 days of quiet, Anders emerged from the bedroom. He was still shaky, and a little wobbly on his feet, but he made it to the couch. He sat on the opposite end to Bragi and tried to ignore the God who was once again sketching.

Eventually, Anders cracked. “What are you drawing?” His voice was hoarse from days of disuse after hours of crying and yelling.

“Memories,” the God murmured, never ceasing the pencil’s movements across the page.

Anders swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry. “Yours? Or mine?”

Finally Bragi looked at him and Anders was amazed to look into eyes almost exactly the same as his. He hadn’t really looked at the God when everything else was happening, too upset at his brothers to register anything else. He knew his dreams of the poet hadn’t just been his imagination, regardless of what Ty had told him. “Both.”

“Good ones? Or bad ones?” Anders was expecting the latter. After all, he had more bad memories than good.

“You tell me.” The God scratched the pencil across the page a few more times before he closed the sketchbook and handed it to Anders who took it as if it was a snake that might bite him. Or maybe a bomb about to explode. He wasn’t sure that he wanted to see what the poet had drawn. He could admit, if only to himself, that he was afraid what memories the poet might have used for inspiration.

Cautiously, he opened the sketchbook and gasped at what he saw. There, on the very first page, was a sketch of Anders holding a baby. Ty. Mike sat next to him, an arm wrapped around his shoulders as they stared down at their new baby brother.

“We’ve been watching you your entire lives,” the God said quietly, not disturbing Anders from his trance the sketch seemed to have put him in. “We watch to find someone who is a match for us. It’s why your mother always knew that you’d get me as your God. Freya knew me, and your mother knew you. The same way she knew that Ullr would choose Mike. Although I don’t think anyone could have picked Odin and Axl. We all thought Odin would stay hidden for a while longer,” the God continued as Anders turned the pages, taking in the beautiful drawings. There weren’t a lot of them, he didn’t have a lot of happy memories after all, but they were breathtaking. Anders holding Carmilita, his first fish, a few with Mike and Ty and Axl.  He wasn’t surprised that there weren’t any of his parents. Then the timeline jumped to after his 21t birthday. Anders saw his graduation from university, the opening of JPR. Then he turned the page and froze. There, in grey and white, in all his beautiful, brooding glory, was Mitchell. His vampire captured the only way he could be. Anders wanted to touch the drawing, his fingers hovering over the page, only to pull away so as not to smudge the pencil.

“Is that how you both see me?” Mitchell’s awe filled voice came from behind Anders and he looked up at his vampire. The only person he had ever loved, and the only one who had loved him back. Mitchell’s eyes were glued to the page until Anders tugged on his hand. When Mitchell finally looked at him, he shifted on the couch, tugging until Mitchell sat beside him and Anders curled into him, the sketchbook still in his hands.

Carefully, unsure of what they would find, Anders turned the page to see a beautiful sketch of Mitchell sleeping. He felt Mitchell swallow heavily as he looked at the lifelike drawing. Anders snuggled further into the vampire’s embrace as he turned the page to the final drawing. The one Bragi had been working on when Anders came out. His breath caught in his throat and he felt Mitchell choke back a sob. The picture was of the two of them, Mitchell pressed up behind Anders, his arms slung low around Anders waist, his chin resting on Anders shoulder. They were both looking off slightly to the right, like they could see something beyond the page. They were both smiling, and they both looked happy and relaxed.

After what felt like an Age, Anders looked up at his God. “Thank you,” he rasped out, eyes glassy with unshed tears. “This is incredible.” The God had given them a gift. Images of Mitchell, of the 2 of them together. The only way they could have them; done with paper and pencil.

Bragi looked at them with a brittle smile. They didn’t know there was another sketch in the works as well. “I may be the God of words, but it’s not all I can do.” Both Anders and Mitchell could hear the undercurrent of pain in those words. “You’re welcome. I have put you through a lot of shit. It’s the least I could do.”

At this Anders finally smiled, a real, honest smile. “It hasn’t all been bad. I’ve used you too. Although, sometimes I do wish you’d just shut up.”

The three of the laughed, then fell back into a comfortable silence. After a while Anders fell into a light doze, unconsciously curling further into Mitchell’s hold. Both vampire and God looked at him fondly. Mitchell sighed heavily. “I’m going to lose him aren’t I?”

The God looked at Mitchell, blue eyes clear and calm like the sky on a summers day. “That’s entirely up to you.”

“But I thought once Odin and Frigg are reunited the Gods get their full powers.”

“The Gods, yes. But not the mortals. We will gain our full powers, and return to Asgard. We don’t belong here. And most of us want to return home. It’s been a long time since I was home.” The God looked past Mitchell, seeing Asgard in his mind’s eye.

Mitchell was shocked. “But the Johnson’s belive...”

“It is written fairly clearly. It’s human interpretation that is wrong. That happens a lot actually. Heimdall would be able to see it correctly. Although...” the God broke off and stared into space again. “I wouldn’t mind staying here. The animosity between Anders and his brothers is not just to do with them. Although the Johnson bothers truly don’t get along, neither do we Gods. I fear some of the hatred directed at Anders is actually the other Gods feelings directed at me. Although, I’m not sure how staying here would work. I’m not exactly corporeal.”

“You’re like Annie then. Able to be seen and felt by some, and manipulate the environment but not really here. You do still look at little glowy.” Mitchell looked a little sad at that thought.

“Who is Annie?”

“She’s... she _was_ a friend. A ghost.” Mitchell felt his stomach clench at the thought of the friends he had lost.

“Not quite the same then,” Bragi said, sitting up fully and leaning towards Mitchell. “I don’t appear and disappear, and I’m not invisible to those who aren’t other supernaturals. If I went outside, other people, _ordinary_ _people_ would see me. They would be able to hear me, and feel me if they touched me. I’d just be a little fuzzy to their eyes, and I’d be a little soft and squishy to the touch. I am real, I just don’t have an actually physical body, not while I’m supposed to have a vessel anyway.”

Mitchell was about to respond when a knock came from the door. Or, more accurately, it sounded like someone was trying to break the door down.

“Anders, you little shit,” came Axl’s voice, “let me in you fucker.”

Mitchell gently moved a still sleeping Anders and shifted as he moved to the door. He waited until Axl started pounding on the door again before he opened it, Axl almost falling on his face, barely catching himself on the door frame.

“How the fuck did you get in?” Mitchell growled.

Axl help up the key card that granted access to the building with a smirk. Before he could say anything, Mitchell ripped it from his fingers, stuffing it in the pocket of his jeans and making a mental note to either get the cards back from Anders’ family, or to see if the security company could wipe them so they no longer worked.

“What do you want?”

“I want to see Anders and Bragi. I want Anders to apologise, and to fix this mess with the Gods, then I want him to do his job and help me find Frigg.”

“I’ve already apologised once, I’m not doing it again.” Anders slowly made his way to the door where Mitchell was almost physically preventing Axl from entering the apartment. “The Gods situation is not my fault, if anything it was yours, and no, I won’t help you search for Frigg. I’m not helping you do anything!”

Anders paused for a breath. The blood loss had really knocked him around, and he hadn’t had adequate time to rest and recuperate. “In fact, I’d really like it if you all just pissed off and left me alone. You don’t actually want me around, and I don’t really _want_ to be around _you_. I thought being back with my family would be a good thing but it’s worse than ever.

“You’re so pathetic,” Axl spat. “One little mistake and you go and hide away. Grow some balls!”

“One little mistake? One little..?” Mitchell was furious, his voice a low, soft, hiss. “You tried to kill your brother. **TWICE!** That’s not a little mistake, that’s attempted murder!”

“Don’t be so dramatic Mitchell.” Axl was now leaning in the doorway, almost reclining, his arms crossed over his chest, now that he had Anders at the door.

“I’ll show you dramatic,” Mitchell growled under his breath.

“Easy John.” Anders turned towards his youngest brother. “Get out. I’ll call you when I want to see you.” With that, he slammed the door in Axl’s surprised face before he turned and slumped against it, alarming Mitchell.

“Anders?” Mitchell ducked his head to look into Anders eyes. “Are you ok?”

“Dizzy.”

Mitchell helped Anders over to the couch where Bragi was hovering beside it.

“This can’t continue,” Bragi said as he paced behind the couch.

“What do you mean?” Anders had his eyes closed and an arm thrown over them as he lay on the couch, his head throbbing and spinning at the same time.

“This,” the God waved his hands in Anders’ direction. “They can’t keep hurting you like this.”

“So what are you going to do?” Mitchell asked warily.

“I’m going to go talk to them. There has to be some sort of compromise we can come to. We can’t continue on like this. We’ll destroy each other, and our vessels if we do.” Bragi nodded his head as he came to a conclusion. “I’m going to the bar. It’s where they’ll all be. And they can’t hurt me. Not like they can you.”

With that, Bragi stormed out of the apartment, the door closing with a solid thump behind him, before anyone could say anything.

After long minutes of silence, Anders moved his arm, and cracked his eyes to see Mitchell staring at him. “Do you want to pack?”

“Pack? For what?”

“I changed our flight dates. We leave tomorrow.”

Mitchell’s grin could have lit up the room if sunlight wasn’t already filling it. “You stay here. I’ll do it. I love you.” Mitchell kissed him, quick and hard, before he practically bounded into the bedroom.

“I love you too,” Anders said softly to his retreating form.


	5. Fix This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bragi has a discussion with the Johnson's and other Gods. Meanwhile Anders and Mitchell...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the delay with this chapter. First I broke my computer screen and it took a week to fix, then my muse up and left me with ideas for chapters later on in this fic, and then I was in Scotland last week. 
> 
> But I'm back now...
> 
> Smut ahead! Oh my God, I can't believe I wrote this. My first attempt at writing smut. Hope it works.

Mike felt like bashing his head against the dark wood of the bar. Hard. Repeatedly. The God’s and Johnsons had converged on the bar after a phone call from Axl. If Mike wasn’t positive they’d break in anyway, he’d have locked the door, turned off the lights and pretended he wasn’t home. Not that he thought it would have done much good anyway; he was sure the Gods all had a way of knowing where the others were at all times, and seeing as none of the Gods really strayed too far from their vessels...

Well, hiding just wasn’t an option.

He watched as Axl paced up and down the length of the bar, ranting and raving about the second oldest Johnson brother. The one he seemed to have forgotten he had almost killed, _again_. Axl just couldn’t seem to understand _why_ Anders and Mitchell didn’t want to see him.

“So, what you’re saying,” Ty stated slowly, when he could get a word in, “is you went to Anders’ place and demanded to see him, demanded he and Bragi fix everything, and find Frigg, only a few days after you almost killed him again? And killed his fish?”

Axl shrugged. “I’ll buy him new fish.”

“With what?” Mike muttered under his breath. Only the day before he’d had to lend Axl money to buy actual groceries. Again. “You’re lucky Mitchell didn’t murder you,” he said louder. “He could have ripped your throat out and if he did, I think Anders’ would have done  a happy dance on your dead body.”

“He can’t kill me, I’m Odin,” Axl said with all the conviction of an early 20’s male who believed he was 10 feet tall and bullet proof.

“Not right now.” Hodr’s voice was deep and rumbled through the room. “And I don’t think Mitchell cares right now. _Dragur_ are dangerous and highly territorial. Mitchell see’s Anders as his, and the vampire will do what it must to protect him.” Here he looked at Axl. “Even kill you.”

Axl paled visibly at this and turned to his God, looking for help. Odin shook his head. “I cannot help in this matter Axl. But you should not have gone to Anders. Not yet.”

“No, he shouldn’t have. Not at all.” Bragi’s bell like tone cut off any answer Axl may have had.

“ ** _You_** ,” Bragi glared at Axl, “need to leave your brother alone, and _we_ ,” he looked toward the other Gods, “need to have a long overdue conversation.” He stood at the bar, refusing to sit, even as Hodr and Baldr made room for him at the booth.

“The Johnson’s need to talk as well.” Baldr looked between them. “You need to discuss, amongst yourselves, Anders, and your treatment of him. I am actually appalled at the way you treat him, and then you blame him for the way he acts toward you. If you don’t fix this, one way or another, you will lose him.”

Axl snorted in disbelief, even as Ty and Mike looked to the Oracle. “What do you mean?” Mike asked slowly.

Bragi sighed in exasperation. “Just what he said. If we,” he gestured to the entire room, “don’t sort this out, Anders will cut you all out of his life. He’s had enough. He already wants out. And it’s not the first time he’s been cut off from you all. Only this time, it’s his choice and he’s not alone.”

Ty turned towards his brother’s God. “How drastic would this be?”

Bragi shrugged, no wanting to tell the truth. It wasn’t his place, especially as he knew that Anders didn’t actually have a plan past incredibly vague ideas. “I’m not sure. Leaving Auckland would be a start.”

“He can’t leave,” Mike spluttered, “his business is here, his entire life!”

Bragi turned his intense blue gaze on the oldest Johnson brother. “No. His life is Mitchell. His business can be moved, or rebuilt, or anything. He can start over. Other than you lot, he doesn’t have anything tying him here.” Bragi kept silent on the fact that Anders had been looking at moving the business online, or that he’d been looking at houses in Christchurch, and also in Sydney, Newcastle and Melbourne in Australia. He had even had the thought of London and other places in Europe. He’d had enough of his brothers and wanted out. He also kept quiet about the trip to Ireland. He was sure that the brother’s hadn’t heard Anders tell Mitchell. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t notice the Johnson’s head upstairs to talk until Odin was standing in front of him.

Odin gently laid a hand on his son’s shoulder. “You are right,” he signed. “We need to talk.”

********

While the Gods were working out their own issues, upstairs the Johnsons were working on theirs.

Sort of.

Ok, not really.

“Axl, stop.” Mike was sitting at the small table with Ty and Olaf, while Axl had resumed his angry pacing.

“I knew he was selfish, but God, to actually think about moving? He’s going to run away like a little girl? It’s his 21st all over again.” This time he caught the looks between the other 3. “What? What am I missing this time?” he said exasperatedly.

“Anders didn’t run after his 21st, Mike threw him out,” Ty sighed eventually. “There is a story there, but not for now. And this is completely different. This is Anders actually doing what is right for him, and I see where he’s coming from.  We treat him like shit, then expect him to say ‘how high’ when we say ‘jump’. How many times have we pulled him from work, or a dinner, or a meeting? How many times has he been made to cancel something because we need Bragi to do something for us? How many times have the rest of us had to cancel plans, or run out of work, or any numerous other things? Anders is always the one that gets hurt, whether physically or emotionally. I can understand why he doesn’t want to do it anymore.”

“Please, it’s just Anders being a stubborn little shit and refusing to do what he needs to.” Axl slumped heavily into the empty seat at the table.

Satisfied Axl had worn out his anger, Mike turned to Ty. “How bad do you think this will get if we don’t fix it?” At Ty’s surprised look he continued. “You’re friendly with Mitchell and you spend more time with Anders than the rest of us so...”

Ty shook his head. “I don’t know Mike. Although,” He looked into the distance, eyes glazed as he thought back to the original incident days ago. “Mitchell said it didn’t matter if he killed Axl, if Anders was already dead...” Ty trailed off as horror wrote itself across his dark features.

“You think Mitchell would _kill_ Anders?” Mike asked, his face white.

Olaf answered before Ty could. “He’d turn him. He’d keep him safe the only way he can. If he turns Anders, we have no use for him... No more Bragi. And if we tried to hurt him, Anders would be stronger than all of us. And you heard what Hodr said. The vampire is very territorial, and very protective. It would do what it had to, to protect Anders.”

“Shit,” Mike swore sharply and stood, grabbing the table as the world around him swam. When the world behind his tightly closed eyelids stopped spinning and he could finally open his eyes, he felt Ullr’s presence in his mind once more. “Well,” he murmured, “I guess you guys worked something out.”

********

Anders woke slowly from his sleep, cool lips pressing gently against his. He returned the kiss, threading his fingers through dark curls without opening his eyes. The kisses were soft, sweet, and full of love. Anders sighed when Mitchell pulled back and reluctantly opened his eyes, staring into warm honey brown ones.

“All done,” Mitchell murmured before leaning down to kiss him again.

Anders wrapped his arms around his vampire’s neck. “Take me to bed John.” Mitchell pulled back as far as Anders’ hold would allow, his eyes wide. “I don’t know how long I’ll be without Bragi. I want to feel you without him in my head.”

“Are you sure Love?  You’re still recovering.” Mitchell placed soft kisses on Anders’ brown, then down his face to his lips.

“I’m asking you to make love to me, not fuck me into the mattress,” Anders snarled, a grin on his face when Mitchell snorted out a laugh.

“And he’s back,” he murmured before he hauled Anders into his arms gently, and moved to the bedroom.

He laid Anders on the bed before he stepped back and stripped slowly, starting with the ever present fingerless gloves. He shrugged out of the red plaid shirt and pulled off the pale blue t-shirt. He could already see Anders’ erection bludging in his track pants, and Anders’ breath was hitching, his eyes dark with lust. When Mitchell removed the black long sleeved tee and revealed his lean, muscular torso covered in hair, Anders let out a low moan. Too turned on to continue the show, Mitchell peeled off the skin tight black jeans and his briefs in one go, crawling up the bed and kissing Anders passionately, though gently.

Carefully Mitchell stripped Anders, their kiss only breaking when he removed Ander’s t-shirt. Once naked, Mitchell rested between Anders’ spread legs, their erections rubbing together, making both men moan.

“Please John,” Anders whispered against his lips, hips rutting against his to find any friction he could. “Please. I need you, John. Please.”

Barely moving, Mitchell grabbed the lube and a condom out of the top drawer of the bedside table, but stopped when Anders shook his head.

“No condom. I want to feel _you_.” Mitchell kissed him hard, leaving Anders breathless as he popped the cap off and coated a few fingers in the slippery substance.

Slowly, Mitchell ran the tip of one lubed finger around Anders’ rim, a smirk crossing his face at the full body shudder than ran through the body underneath him. When he felt the muscle loosen a little, he slowly slid the finger in to the first knuckle, licking his lips at Anders’ moan. Then, without warning, he slid the finger completely inside, purposefully grazing Anders’ prostate, making him jerk at the sensation. Mitchell slid down Anders’ body, settling himself between his thighs and taking Anders’ erection into his mouth, sucking harshly. Anders’ body jerked at the unexpected stimulation to his cock, and opened his eyes wide to look down at his lover.  Mitchell’s dark eyes were blown even darker with lust, and a wicked grin crossed his lips where they were wrapped around Anders’ thick girth. Anders moaned again, and his hips involuntarily bucked up further into that wet heat.

Mitchell moaned around Anders’ cock as he pulled out the first finger and slid it back inside with a second one. He could feel Anders’ muscles pulling his fingers in deeper, and Anders continuously rocked his hips in short thrusts. Feeling generous, and knowing just how far to push his lover, Mitchell spread his fingers, gently stretching Anders and completely coating his channel with lube. He twisted his fingers, tapping the small bundle of nerves every so often to hear Anders swear, and feel his hips jerk under him. He felt Anders’ fingers curl in his hair, and he pulled every time Mitchell tapped his prostate. He let Anders’ cock fall from his mouth when he tugged on his hair insistently, pulling him up to hover over him again. Anders kissed him fiercely, his tongue pushing its way into his mouth, and battling with his own, moaning as Mitchell pressed a third finger inside him.

“Now Mitch,” Anders panted, his hips rocking back onto Mitchell’s fingers of their own accord. His hair was starting to stick to his forehead with sweat, and his cock was hard enough to cut diamonds. “I need you John. Now.”

Mitchell slowed the movements of his fingers, and kissed Anders softly, slowly, just to hear Anders whine, and feel him rut against him impatiently. “Easy babe,” he cooed as he twisted his hand _just_ the right way to nail Anders’ prostate and have him go rigid before letting out a load, long moan.

“If you don’t fuck me now John, I’ll do it myself.” Anders knew the way he was rutting against Mitchell’s abs like an animal in heat removed the threat from his voice and Mitchell chuckled against the skin of his throat, Anders’ pulse thrumming against his lips.

“John, _please._ ” Anders knew he was whining, but he couldn’t help it. “Please, John. If you don’t fuck me now, I’m gonna cum, please John.” Anders was breathless, his voice becoming cries as Mitchell mercilessly rubbed against his prostate, pulling out just before Anders lost it, wrapping his fingers tightly around the base of his cock.

“Not yet Love. You’re going to cum on my cock, not before,” he purred against Anders’ lips as he lined himself up with the other hand. Gently he pushed inside, bottoming out in once thrust, and enjoying the feeling of Anders’ moan reverberating over the skin of his throat where Anders had his lips. Carefully he let go of Anders’ erection, resting his weight on his forearms on either side of Anders head, and kissed him gently as he started thrusting his hips.

Anders hands once again weaved their way through his hair before sliding down over his shoulders and back as he wrapped his legs around Mitchell’s hips changing the angle and almost screaming as Mitchell nailed his prostate with a hard thrust. He buried his face in the crook of Mitchell’s neck, panting harshly as Mitchell’s thrusts sped up as the both neared their orgasms. Anders’ erection was trapped between his and Mitchell’s bodies, the friction enough to have him rutting against Mitchell’s abs, and heat poling at the bottom of his spine.

“Close, John,” he panted, tossing his head back with a high pitched whine as Mitchell nailed his prostate continuously. “Almost... keep going... just... there...” He scratched red welts down Mitchell’s back as he wound tighter and tighter, his climax so close, but yet just out of reach.

“Feel... so good... Anders,” Mitchell’s pace increased as he chased his own pleasure, the faint scratches burning slightly as sweat ran down his back only heightening his pleasure. He could feel Anders tightening around him as he got closer and Mitchell shifted his weight, wrapping a hand around Anders’ cock, already coated in pre-cum. It only took a few pumps of his hand, with a few more thrusts against his prostate, before Anders came with a yell, his body arching off the bed as he climaxed, his body shaking with the force. Mitchell thrust a few more times before he followed his lover over the edge, Anders body shaking through the aftershocks, his channel still convulsing a little, Mitchell rocking through his own aftershocks.

When he came down from his high, Mitchell pressed gentle kisses to Anders lips, then across his jaw line, and down his throat to his still heaving chest. Mitchell could hear the still quickly beating heart, and bent to press a kiss over the top.

Anders wrapped his arms back around his shoulders and drew him up, kissing him languidly, tongues no longer battling for dominance.  “I love you,” Anders said softly when their breathing had returned to normal, and Mitchell had pulled out and curled up around him.

“I love you too.” Mitchell pressed more gentle kisses over Anders pulse point in his neck before he abruptly sat up. “I didn’t want to kill you,” he said in awe.

“Huh?” Anders’ brain was still a little fuzzy after his mind blowing orgasm.

“You’re mortal, and I didn’t want to kill you.” Mitchell’s face lit up with a blinding smile. “I didn’t want to kill you.” He kissed him roughly, his happiness bleeding through. “It means that, no matter what happens with the Gods eventually, I won’t have to leave, because I don’t want to kill you. You just smell like you!”

Anders laughed with John. “Ok Dracula, I see your point. Can we shower now though? I’ve got me all over me, and you, and you leaking out my arse.”

Still laughing, the vampire picked up the man he loved bridal style and carried him into the bathroom.

********

Almost an hour later, fresh from a shower, and another round of sex, Mitchell and Anders made it to the living room. Only to be confronted by someone sitting on the couch.

“Hello,” Bragi said, fiddling with his fingers.


	6. A Much Needed Break

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took so long to update. I really don't have an excuse, other than life, but I hope you enjoy. It's a bit of a filler chapter, but does lead us to the next part of this fic. Thanks to all that commented and kudosed. It means the world.

“Mike just called a _Bergerbar_ ,” Anders said as he settled into his seat, wiggling to get comfortable.

“Gesundheit.” Mitchell glanced at his lover when Anders took his hand, uncurling his fingers from where they were tightly gripping the armrest.

Anders bought the hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to the knuckles. “Relax. It’s ok.” He let their joined hands rest between them. “It’s a meeting thing, between the brothers, so no Olaf, and no goddesses. Usually we just get drunk, and eat a shit ton of food. No God business or anything like that. It was Ty who called me though. Typical. Mike’s too arrogant to do it himself and Axl’s shit scared you’re gonna rip his throat out.”

“The idea does have merit.” Mitchell mused over the idea.

Anders shot him a look but continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “I told him to shove it where the sun don’t shine. And when he reminded me of our deal I just told him the locks have been changed and good luck, then I hung up.” Anders smirked. “Pressing the end button just doesn’t have the same level of satisfaction as slamming the phone down.”

“What deal?” Mitchell asked as the flight attendant started going through the safety procedures as the plane moved away from the terminal.

“Hmm?” Anders looked up from their linked hands.  “Oh, the deal is if they call a _Bergerbar_ and I don’t go, they get to go to my apartment and take whatever they want. It’s just another form of control for them. Well, Mike really but still...”

Mitchell was incredulous. “Go to your place and take whatever they want? The fuckers!”

Anders laughed, warmed by Mitchell’s anger at the shitty situation. “It’s ok. New locks remember? They _were_ your idea.” He leaned over and kissed Mitchell deeply as the plane started to taxi. “Thank you for that by the way. I’ve wanted to do it for a really long time.”

“I’m just sorry it took you almost dying, _again_ , for it to happen.”

“The last time Axl couldn’t get into my place, he broke the door.”

“What?” Mitchell yelled, earning a stern glare from the flight attendant, where she was sat in her seat down the aisle from them. “Aren’t you worried he’ll do it again?”

“He won’t if he knows what’s good for him.” Anders pressed a kiss to Mitchell’s stubbly cheek. “I had an alarm and security cameras installed after last time, and I’ll have no hesitation in taking it further if I have to. And I know who the police will believe between me and my family.”

Mitchell’s retort was cut off as the plane moved onto the runway completely. He gripped the armrests, only sparing a second’s thought to his vampire strength as his breath caught in his throat. He **_hated_** flying. That was the great thing about the UK and Europe. You don’t actually _need_ to fly. New Zealand though…

Anders loosened his grip on the armrest and laced their fingers together. “Relax,” he whispered. “It’s not that bad, I promise.” He paused for a moment. “Really, _you_ are the most dangerous thing here at the moment.”

It was only then that Mitchell realized he had started to vamp out He blinked his eyes back to their natural warm brown, grateful that no-one had noticed and twisted to look at Anders. The God had managed to get them a business class upgrade. Not even Bragi could get them first class when it was fully booked.

“We can always joing the mile high club later is you feel the need.” Anders smirked and Mitchell blushed as he laughed before Anders moved closer, his breath ghosting over his ear. “Any need John.” His voice was as serious as the look on his face when he pulled back and Mitchell felt a rush of love and affection fill his chest.

“Thank you.” He leaned forward and kissed his God as the plane started to move, sitting back with a smile as the wheels left the ground. He was going home.

********

As much as Anders had enjoyed having his head to himself, he felt a little more whole now that Bragi was back, settled into the little corner of Anders mind he had taken over. He slid into the seat across from Mitchell, rolling his neck a few times to get out the kinks. They had stopped in Singapore for a few hours, hours Anders was grateful for to stretch his legs, get a decent meal and have his feet back on solid ground before they were back in the air.

He couldn’t help the small smile that graced his lips when he looked over at his oblivious boyfriend. In all of the vampire’s travels, he had never been to Asia, and he was like a kid in a candy store, looking around with wide eyes, bouncing his knees under the table, and trying to take everything in. Anders was slightly disappointed that they couldn’t stay for longer, but he was excited to get to the UK. He would never admit it, even to himself, but he was excited to have Mitchell show him around tell him stories, and to see his boyfriend in his home.

He was comforted in the knowledge that his time with Mitchell couldn’t be disturbed. None of his family knew where he was and what he was doing. He had called Dawn on the way to the airport, told her to close JPR for a few weeks, cite a family or medical emergency or the like, which wasn’t a complete lie, to any new clients or clients wanting new work, he’d already been caught up on his latest campaigns, and told her to enjoy her time off. He’d not told her what he was doing or where he was going, Ty’s explanation of what had happened (missing certain details of course) enough for her to agree with no arguments or further questions. And by not telling her, his family couldn’t pressure her into telling them information as she didn’t have any.

And sitting in an airport bar, hot food being sat on the table, his 110 year old boyfriend looking around like a wide eyed child, Anders couldn’t bring himself to regret a single thing.

********

Mike hung up the phone, tempted to throw it across the bar. Anders hadn’t answered the phone for 2 days, and no one had seen either him or Mitchell. He had finally called his brothers and Olaf to the bar, and to no one’s surprise, the goddesses turned up too. What was surprising was Dawn showing up with Ty.

Mike sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. “This was supposed to be just us.” He glared at Zeb as he followed Axl inside, taking a seat at the bar.

Olaf shrugged as he poured himself a drink. “You really think they won’t find out?”

Mike sighed in exasperation and ran his hands through his hair. “Has anyone heard from Anders?”

It would have been comical how quickly the bar went silent at those words if the situation hadn’t been so serious.

“The midget’s probably hiding somewhere,” Michele’s voice was scornful at the thought of the second oldest Johnson brother.

“He’s not answering any phone calls, or responding to any messages,” Mike continued, ignoring Michele.

“Can you blame him?” Ty asked from the booth he and Dawn were seated in. “We weren’t exactly very nice to him. Axl tried to kill him.”

“Whiny little bitch,” Axl murmured, wincing at the slap delivered by Olaf.

“Mitchell told Ty that he wouldn’t be at work for at least a week, but I got an email 2 days ago saying that it would be longer than that. He’d finished up all the jobs that needed immediate work, and closed the business indefinitely.” Dawn couldn’t hide the worry in her voice.

“He what?!” Mike stormed out from behind the bar, grabbing his keys as he went. “I need answers.”

He didn’t care that everyone followed him from the bar. He was going to find his younger brother, get answers, and shake some sense into him.

********

Anders was so exhausted when they finally arrived at Heathrow he was glad to have Mitchell to direct him to the right places. Although they had to separate at the UK/EU and Non EU passport holders lines, neither took too long and they were soon reunited at the baggage carousel.

He let Bragi take over as they made their way to the taxi rank, too completely shattered to do the talking himself, and when they got to the hotel, Mitchell took over, Anders almost asleep on his feet. The wonderful receptionist called someone to take them to their room, and he collapsed face first on the King size bed and was out like a light, missing the soft, full of love look that crossed Mitchell’s face.

Mitchell felt for his lover. Anders couldn’t sleep on planes, and so had spent the entire 24+ hour journey awake, and steadily growing more and more exhausted. And as much as his stubborn boyfriend refused to admit it, Mitchell knew that a lot of it was that the stress and pressure of his brothers was gone, letting Anders drop his guard, and letting the golden God’s exhaustion and stress of the past few weeks, or months if Mitchell was honest with himself, catch up to him.

He smiled fondly at Anders as he quickly undressed the practically unconscious God down to his boxer briefs and tucked him under the blankets before shedding his own clothes and climbing in beside him. Anders unconsciously moved, tucking himself into Mitchell’s side and wrapping himself around him. Mitchell flicked off the bedside lamp, and followed his boyfriend into the land of nod.

********

To say Mike was pissed was an understatement.

After the Thing that had been called, and Anders hadn’t attended, Mike hadn’t been too worried. Anders had told Ty that he wouldn’t be there, and if Mike was being honest with himself he hadn’t expected Anders to show.

But then no-one could contact him, and after Dawn’s revelation that he had closed JPR indefinitely, Mike wanted answers. He and the Godly ensemble of Ty, Axl, and Olaf, along with Ingrid, Stacey, Michele, and Dawn, had stormed to Anders apartment, only to be met by the resistance of the lock. Mike tried his card, and Ty tried his. None of them worked and Axl admitted that Mitchell had taken his. Dawn shrugged when asked about hers.

“Mine works. Anders asked me to feed the fish.”

It was then Mike used Ullr’s powers, betting against the woman who lived on the floor above Anders that she wouldn’t let him in. It worked and they found themselves in front of Anders’ door.

Which had new locks.

And a new security system.

That was worked to call security if someone tried to break in.

Something they learned very quickly when security showed up after they tried to force their way into Anders’ apartment. Mike had tried to bargain with the officers, explain that they were family, and that Anders’ had been sick and they were worried about him because he hadn’t been in contact in a few days. It was working too, until old Mrs. Sampson across the hall had opened her mouth to let them all know, very loudly, that Anders had specifically changed the locks to keep his brothers out. After hearing that, there was no way security was letting them in, and they were escorted off the premises.

Now, Mike sat in his car, seething. Anders had effectively cut them off, and was somehow blocking Ullr’s powers. At least that was what Mike hoped. Ullr couldn’t find Anders or Bragi, and Mike could only hope it wasn’t because Mitchell had turned territorial and changed Anders.


End file.
